Robert Horry says the Houston Rockets would have beaten the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls

One of the biggest questions in the NBA is whether Chicago Bulls great Michael Jordan ever retired.

After winning three consecutive titles from 1991 to 1993, Jordan retired from playing. In the meantime, the Houston Rockets won two championships. The first was won behind center Hakeem Olajuwon and he teamed with compatriot Clyde Drexler for the second.

Swingman Robert Horry was a member of both teams, but he thinks the Rockets still would have won those rings even if Jordan had never left. Horry spoke about it during an appearance on the “All The Smoke” podcast with Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes.

“You think about that and I think about everyone they had on that Bulls team,” Horry said. “I know I’m a better defender than all those guys. They couldn’t have stopped Dream (Olajuwon). Young Rob would have been competitive enough to stop Scottie (Pippen) and I thought that’s why we I would have won it.”

Horry then explained the ultimate X-Factor: who would stop Jordan. He said it would be Rockets guard Vernon Maxwell.

“Then everyone says what about Black Jesus, MJ,” Horry said. “Look at the way Vernon played. Watch Vernon play. Vernon would give you 30-40, one of the craziest athletes you’ve ever seen play. Because of his craziness, being Mad Max, people don’t talk of him or even see what he did or how good he was.

To put things into perspective, Jordan averaged 30.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 17 games against Maxwell. Horry has never been an elite defender. My choice: bulls out of five.

Shandel Richardson is the editor of Back In The Day NBA. He can be contacted at [email protected]